While the description was exciting it wasn't the right book for me. The story had humor and heart. For fans of a self deprecating MC meeting a healthy dose of realism.

A short and snappy collection of comic vignettes, some of which are far more successful than others.

Rich is incredibly clever and legitimately laugh out loud funny at times, and a bit cringey and try-hard at others. There’s a lot of middle-aged man dad humor here, the kind of stuff that probably seems funny to those in one’s personal circle but don’t land with a general reading audience. Some of it also feels a bit passé (do dads actually think little girls today are super into Katy Perry?)

I loved The City Speaks, a resigned but fervent rant from the perspective of the city discussing her great disgust with her residents. I also liked Dystopia, a hilarious send-up of both Literary Fiction and pop culture. Minutes, Participation Trophy, and the letters to the deposed King of Nigeria are also clever and charming and well worth a read.

Simon Rich is one of those humor writers whose name you see over and over. Publishing funny stories often enough to have a recognizable name, even if just among New Yorker subscribers, is pretty impressive in 2024. New Teeth, Rich's previous collection, remains my favorite of his works, but this new collection had some great stand outs as well (particularly Mario reflecting on the deterioration of-a his body after 40 years of jumping on stuff and bashing bricks with his head)

Happy to include this title in “Dive In,” a recent round-up highlighting a variety of summer reads, in the Books section of Canadian national culture and lifestyle magazine Zoomer. (see column and mini-review at link)

This is the second book of stories I have read from this author and I am still so enamored with his writing style. I really enjoyed the range of what he offers and how some of his stories drew off of famous stories. My personal favorite from this collection was the David and Goliath story. I also really enjoyed the one about the Nigerian prince. Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley. I would highly recommend this author.

A classic collection of Simon Rich stories! I've been a fan of his writing for more than a decade, and I can tell with this book he is getting older, wiser, and a little more maudlin. Which is not a bad thing!

Rich still has an incredible knack for skewering a very specific part of modern life in a way that makes you feel connected. He is also an incredible storyteller, and one of my favorite thing about his stories is that while they can come off as pessimistic and doomsday-y, they usually end on a positive or event joyful note. I think that is what makes him stand out among the other humorists.

If you're looking for a quick, funny short story collection from one of the best, this is a great place to start -- and then read his novels and other books as well! You'll never get disappointed with his unique brand of inventiveness.

While I'm still looking for a collection of short stories that reaches the level of "Man Seeking Woman," this book wasn't too far off the mark.

I'd love to crawl into Simon Rich's brain and watch him come up with the ideas behind some of his stories. Many had me smiling throughout, if not laughing out loud.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is a creative, funny, and thought-provoking story collection. The author excels at taking ordinary situations, such as an adult child visiting her parent's house for Thanksgiving or receiving a participation trophy, and offering a fresh and humorous perspective.

Highly recommended!

In my opinion no one writes better short humor prose pieces than Simon Rich. He is smart, hilarious and knows just how to escalate a comedic premise. You should not only definitely get this book, but you should get all of his books. The piece in "Glory Days" in which a woman prepares a rider full of her demands to spend Thanksgiving with her mother and her mom's new husband is brilliant.

He has another piece in this collection about the Tooth Fairy that starts off funny, but becomes a beautifully tender look at aging and heartbreak. Wonderful.

I have written an honest review in return for a free e-galley of this book from Netgalley.

A new collection of stories by Simon Rich is always an occasion to be celebrated, and this one lived up to its expectations. Mr. Rich’s sense of humor remains as sharp as ever. Highly recommended to anyone who wants to laugh.